The 7 Worst Body Language Mistakes Job Seekers Make

Failure to make eye contact and playing with hair are
two of the most common body language mistakes people make in job
interviews.Eje
Gustafsson/flickr

Your dream employer is hiring, so you do your homework; submit
your resume; land yourself an interview; and kill it in the hot
seat. You're pretty confident it's in the bag.

But on your way out, you shake the interviewers hand, thank him
for his time, and completely blow your chances.

How? The handshake was weak and
you failed to make eye contact.

That's right, these simple mistakes can cost you the job,
according to expert Tonya Reiman, author of "The Power of Body Language."

"When someone first meets you, an evaluation is quietly and
unconsciously taking place. There is an incredible amount of
processing going on as millions of neurons in the brain are
activated and working to determine if they believe you to be
credible, trustworthy, and likable. That impression
is based primarily on your nonverbal communication."

So, from the moment you arrive for a job interview until the
moment you leave, you need to be keenly aware of your gestures
and nonverbal cues.

Here are seven common body language mistakes that can cost you
the job:

1. Bad posture. Always be aware of your posture.
"People don't realize that the job interview begins in the
waiting room, but it does. So don't slouch in the chair in the
reception area," Reiman says. "In order to be perceived as
confident, you must sit or stand tall, with your neck elongated,
ears and shoulders aligned, and chest slightly protruding." This
position changes the chemicals in our brain to make us feel
stronger and more confident, and it gives the outward appearance
of credibility, strength, and vitality, she explains.

2. Bad handshake. People tend to show their
dominating personality by gripping the interviewers hand and
palming it down, but this tells the interviewer that you need to
feel powerful, Reiman explains. "Instead, the handshake should be
more natural: thumbs in the upward position and two to three
pumps up and down." As the applicant, you should always wait for
the interviewer to extend their hand first, she
adds.

3. Sweaty palms. There is nothing worse than
shaking hands with someone who has clammy palms. "If this is you,
go into the bathroom and rinse your wrists under cold water for a
good minute," she suggests. "This will give you dry palms for
roughly 10 minutes so your first handshake is a strong and
powerful one — not sweaty and insecure."

4. Lack of eye
contact."Make sure you offer the appropriate amount
of eye contact,"Reiman says."If you don't, the interviewer will assume you are
either insecure, don't
have an appropriate answer for the question being asked, or are
being deceptive. Does that mean it's true? No, but perception
iseverythingin a job
interview."

5. Fidgeting. Playing with your hair, touching
your face, or any other kind of fidgeting can be a major
distraction for your interviewer. It also demonstrates a lack of
power, Reiman says. "When we touch our faces or hair, it is
because we need self soothing." Is that the message you want to
send to your interviewer?

6. Appearing distracted or uninterested. You
don't want to be shifting in your chair or crossing and
uncrossing your legs, she says. This may tell the interviewer
that you're bored. Instead, demonstrate interest by leaning
slightly forward, tilting your head, and nodding on occasion.

7.Failing to
smile. Reiman says smiling demonstrates confidence,
openness, warmth, and energy. "It also sets off the mirror
neurons in your listener instructing them to smile back. Without
the smile, an individual is often seen as grim or aloof," she
concludes.